The image above sums up today’s effort nicely.

If you may not recall, the dingus, a.k.a. the black bird, is the pot of gold at the end of the proverbial rainbow for all of the characters in Dashiell Hammett’s novel, “The Maltese Falcon”. A jewel encrusted icon of allegiance, sent to a high ruler in tribute. Only to go astray before reaching it’s intended destination, and in the process, becoming a much sought after collectible.

I’m a victim of nostalgia, just as many of you, loyal readers, also are. It is not terminal, although at times we tend to wonder if such is not the case. Nostalgia wears many names and faces for us. Be it the passion for a sport, a place, a time, a culture, a story, or the taste of something. And like many of you, such admiration for these can cross over into obsessions of varying degrees.

Here’s the conundrum:

When do we stop, take a look around and realize that the way ahead isn’t back?

As an example, let me step into the world of Tiki, for a brief moment. I, much as my mother and father before me, look fondly upon a meal and or a beverage at the Trader Vic’s mothership in Emeryville, California. And while I only visited the legendary San Francisco Cosmo Alley location once, it was and remains a wonderful memory of an evening with family and friends, with my share of classic cocktails and great food to match. The same can be said of many evenings and events at the mothership, from my parents 50th wedding anniversary dinner to cocktail workshops to birthdays to retirements to just plain good times. I honestly can’t recall when I first visited but I find myself coming back again and again.

Yet, no matter how good each one of those memories was and remains to this day, the pity is that no matter how many visits I may make, none is the same as any of those previous. Trader Vic’s is not what it was on the previous occasions. From the staff to the dining menu to ingredients in a favored beverage not being served any more; things change. And in many cases, those family members and friends, have changed, or may even no longer be with us.

The truth is that we change as well. As hard as it may be for us to admit it, the passage of time plays its own cruel little games on us all. While we would like to capture lightning in a bottle or a moment in amber, to be the same forever, it just isn’t possible for it to be so.

You shouldn’t devalue those memories of moments, however. There lies treasure, irreplaceable. Special times worth recall. Some even worthy of capture in a photograph or a video, recording all of what made that moment at that place with all of the elements captured just so special and worthy of commemoration.

The best advice I can offer is this.

Do not stop there.

Go out and make more memorable moments. Make them for yourself and for the others you have to share them with you. When time allows and you (or they) look back upon those moments, and whatever made them special does come back, however briefly, it will all be worthy of remembrance. You can’t live in those times or places, but the fond recall of such memories?

They are indeed, “The stuff that dreams are made of…”

Despite appearances to the contrary, this space has not been abandoned nor has the author gone missing. Waylaid, perhaps; yet back at the keyboard, prepared to share more stories, tidbits, images and assorted ephemera in days to come.

Yes, there have been some challenges. And despite my willingness to share, I won’t go into any details, wasting pixels in the process. Honestly, it’s rather boring overall. You, loyal readers, deserve better and hence, you will get just that.

As I have been around the online community since dinosaurs ruled the world, (okay, back to the early days of AOL, GEnie, and more) there is a fair bit of content lurking about that I have produced which you likely have never read or seen. Some is rather dull, but occasionally there shines forth a gem or three. Expect some of those morsels to make an appearance now and then.

Yet, I hope to have more than that to take up space on your screens and keep you coming back for more. Plenty going on out and about, and worth sharing with you from this little corner. At least, that’s why I am back here bring it to you.

So… keep an eye on this space for additional blog postings coming soon.

Note: This column first appeared here on June 4th, 2007. And traffic is still backed up on the 5 trying to get to the Park…

Lot’s of attention going on in Tomorrowland in Anaheim lately. With the resurrection of the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, that’s not a surprise. I’m sure it will make for a busy summer in what has been a somewhat quiet place. About time, some folks will say…

So, rather than look at the Subs, I thought you might enjoy some tidbits from the next door neighbors – The Autopia.

An early prototype Autopia car, now in the collection of the Walt Disney Family Museum.

Almost looks like it’s smiling…

The finished product without the full body bumper. Classic 50’s sports car inspiration here. Bob Gurr admits that his love for Ferrari was part of the design.

A side by side comparison.

How about the rare Midget Autopia? Something for the smallest of drivers.

Yet another Autopia car design – as seen on this 1959 map.

The back of the much sought after Richfield Autopia Driver’s License has a rendering of the in-service car complete with the full bumpers.

And while we’re on the subject, here is the front view.

Fast Forward ahead to the 1970’s…

Okay, so what CM organized all of the cars by color?

Yes, the classic Corvette inspired car bodies. 

Just can’t beat the work of Bob Gurr.

Remember when there  were two different Autopia’s?

Here’s the Fantasyland  loading area, right under the Monorail, 

today part of the off-road segment.

Then we have today’s group of body styles and colors including the golden 50th anniversary one.

And thanks to Chevron as the sponsor for bringing back the Driver’s License. 

Why is it that all driver’s license photos always look so bad?

Note: This article first appeared on Jim Hill Media on July 5th, 2006.

As much as we all want to enjoy Disneyland again, I though it might be fun to look back at one of my park favorite restaurants as it reopened to guests on Sunday, June 25th, 2006 following the Disneyland premiere showing of “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” the night before. Boy do I look forward to a great meal here soon!

The new Café Orleans logo

If you ask an average Disneyland guest which area of the park may be their favorite, there is a strong possibility that New Orleans Square may be the choice. Reasons why could include that this “land” is home to the Park’s most popular attractions – Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion. Perhaps a favorite shop such as Cristal d’ Orleans was where a treasured souvenir was located. Maybe the touch of jazz brought to life by the likes of the Royal Street Bachelors or the Side Street Strutters tempts you to relax and sit a spell? Or it could be that some of the best dining experiences in the Park are found along its streets – The Blue Bayou, The French Market and Café Orleans.Even the mysterious Club 33 is found here.

Call it the flavor of the Big Easy if you will. All of the above ingredients make for a tasty experience. And with the talents of a master chef in Walt Disney to oversee the creation of this concoction, is it any wonder that it tends to be one of the busiest areas of Disneyland all year round?

Dining in New Orleans Square has offered a trio of options for meals over the years. While the Blue Bayou handled the more formal sit-down meal service, the French Market and Café Orleans tended to the more casual approach with what was termed buffeteria meal service. Here guests would make choices along the service tables with their selections placed on trays for presentation to a cashier and then head off in search of a table of their own choosing. Not an unpleasant way to dine, but perhaps slow at times. Certainly it is not uncommon to find fairly long lines of guests queuing for meals during peak periods.

But as things change, it became apparent that Café Orleans faced more than its fair share of challenges. Over the years there may have been duplications in some of the menu items offered at both Café Orleans and the French Market. And Café Orleans did have a smaller seating capacity to contend with. Smaller capacity means fewer meals are served as fewer people can dine during a period of time. Add to that a shared kitchen and perhaps things didn’t work out quite as well as they could have. So for the last few years, Café Orleans tended to be just open table space for guest seating rather than a dining location. It was rare for it to be open for meals except for the highest periods of guest attendance, and even then with an extremely limited menu. Kevin Yee (columnist for MiceAge) was one of the Cast Members who worked here during some of those days and his stories (from MousePlanet) paint an interesting picture of those times.

Disneyland Panavue Slide from the collection of Roger Colton.

So, faced with an opportunity, Disneyland rose to the occasion and performed a makeover of this dining location. It seems that guests had indicated that they were looking for more formal dining options inside the Park. Taking a cue from that, Café Orleans was set to fill a role that had somewhat been handled by the Blue Bayou. And considering how often guests would find reservations completely booked early each day, adding another option for them was a great idea.

The revised facility was set to reopen in the summer of 2006. Keeping most of the décor intact, the facility was changed to reflect its new role. The buffeteria line has given way to tables and chairs to expand the seating capacity, and ultimately serve more guests each day. 

The new menu is a real team effort with a definite New Orleans flavor. It was developed by Chef Christopher Maggeti, Chef Jean-Marc Viallet and Operations Manager Robert Clunie. With the exception of the New Orleans Gumbo, all of the menu items are found only at Café Orleans – right down to the desserts. But more about that later on…

With a bit of preview and adjustment, the date for reopening was set for Sunday, June 25^th – the day after the Pirates premiere event. With Disneyland Ambassadors Rebecca Phelps and Andrae Rivas on hand to welcome everyone, the ceremony to reopen Café Orleans began promptly at 11:30 a.m. with a bounty of guests and Cast Members in attendance. 

Disneyland Ambassadors Rebecca Phelps (left) & Andrae Rivas (right) begin the festivities at Café Orleans.

The Cast Members of Café Orleans dressed for the day and got the crowd into a Mardi Gras spirit with plenty of beads for everyone to enjoy

Even the scissors for the ribbon cutting came properly attired for the festivities

Gary Maggetti, the West Coast Director of Food and Beverage for Disney, welcomed everyone to the reopening of Café Orleans.

He then led the crowd assembled in a brief French language lesson, inviting us all to say, “Laissez bontemps rouler!” which translates to “Let The Good Times Roll!” *

With that the ceremonial ribbon was cut and Café Orleans was opened for lunch

The official first party of guests to dine at the reopened Café Orleans, the Stapleton Family of Carlsbad, California

As we had other plans that day, we made a Priority Seating (714-781-DINE) request for lunch the following afternoon at 1:10 p.m. for a party of two. Arriving a few minutes ahead of schedule, we were quickly escorted by our hostess to a table in the shade next to the walkway between Café Orleans and the Fantasmic viewing terraces. Our waitress quickly came and took our requests for a beverage while we looked over the menu.

Today’s menu.

So where to start? Pomme Frites! Hands and menus down, this is the way to start a meal here. We shared an order between the two of us, but I saw many tables where there were two or more orders being served and immediately enjoyed by diners of all ages. “Traditional French-fried potatoes tossed with Parmesan cheese, garlic and parsley, served with a Cajun spiced aioli.” These are addictive and I see them becoming a guest favorite very quickly once the word gets out.

Our choices for an entrée were the Mardi Gras Crab-Salad Sandwich and “The Big Easy” Shrimp Salad. Beverages come with all of the usual suspects to choose from including the Disneyland Mint Julep — with plenty of refills while enjoying your meal.

The Mardi Gras Crab-Salad Sandwich

“The Big Easy” Shrimp Salad

Both were excellent! The light citrus vinaigrette was a perfect match for the Cajun spices on the grilled shrimp. And the zesty citrus aioli was just the right touch for the crab salad. However, we still managed to save room for dessert. Our choice? Why, of course! An order of the “Mickey”-shaped Beignets.

All that for one person? Not this time

The Crème Anglaise and the Raspberry Coulis were great accompaniments to the beignets. Fresh and hot with plenty of powdered sugar… If you have enjoyed some of these at Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen on a previous visit to Downtown Disney, then you have to try these at Café Orleans. 

Admittedly, we were testing the waters on only the second day of operation. Giving credit where due, the Cast Members serving us were outstanding. Glasses never went empty for more than a few seconds and the team who came to our table was attentive and efficient, even letting us know who was taking over as our server after a break had been completed. 

If there was anything to note, it was that there were a number of tables set, where guests had yet to be seated after making their Priority Seating requests. And I didn’t see a large number of guests waiting for tables, so I have to assume that someone must have forgotten about their times. All the more the pity as they truly missed a wonderful dining experience in New Orleans Square. Here’s hoping that you can enjoy the same in the near future!

* Laissez bontemps rouler! (lay-zay bone-tonh rule-ay) – Let the good times roll!

A visit to Disneyland will never be like it was Pre-COVID 19.

That’s a hard statement to admit, isn’t it? After all, who didn’t enjoy at day at Disneyland before the closure in March 2020 of the Disneyland Resort. I know I have over the years. That Saturday before it began, I was in Anaheim; just a few blocks away on Katella Avenue. Having heard of the closure, I thought maybe I might stop by for a while to take it all in, as the parks would probably be shut down for a few weeks, or maybe a couple of months. 

Unfortunately, my visit to Southern California was more of a business trip and things were focused elsewhere. As it turned out, even the prospect of any afternoon with friends became a socially distant “Meet and Greet”, complete with virtual hugs, as they started taking all of this talk of a “pandemic” as serious in nature.

At that time, the hope was that by socially distancing, sheltering in place and making use of some good personal protective equipment and precautions (a.k.a. face masks, rubber gloves and plenty of hand washing and sanitizer), that this thing would be like the usual flu season and over before the start of the summer travel season.

In short, boy, were we wrong…

Perception started to hit home as more and more we heard about hospitalizations, with people admitted to intensive care units (ICU), and more often than not, ending up on ventilation to help with breathing. As much as many of us hated to admit it, this was a serious situation.

State governments started to step in and were ordering stronger guidelines and restrictions on communities. What before had been an easy thing to travel across the county, now became a challenge just to get to the corner supermarket and get home safely with the groceries, let alone travel hundreds of miles for a day ay a theme park.

I have seen first hand how quickly this virus shut down tourism. Part of my reason for being in Southern California that weekend in March involved a small group trip aboard a private railroad car from Los Angeles to Kansas City with a side visit to Marceline and the Walt Disney Hometown Museum. That Saturday morning, I had done a quick inspection of the railcar to get ready for departure on our trip in three weeks. But as the afternoon progressed, I began to get phone calls and e-mails from folks who just were not sure that travel was something they needed to do right then, so they had to cancel their plans. Some were traveling to Los Angeles from a far distance and the uncertainty ahead just called for erring on the side of caution. So I had to make the same decision and get in touch with the rest of the group to let them know that we would not be going to Kansas City as planned.

Since then, I pretty much have stayed at home, sheltering in place. Even when I have ventured out, my social circle has tended to be quite small. Most often my visits have been to assist my mother with one task or another. But nothing like things I would have done before. No baseball games, no museums, no trains, no streetcars, few restaurants and no bars, either.

Safety first, yes indeed.

Thinking about mundane activities, even something as simple as a grocery store shopping visit or a stop at the local bank, offers a glimpse of what has become the reality of daily life. In Alameda County, here where I live in Northern California, face coverings or masks have been required for entry into any business, with no exceptions. No mask, no business. And you must observe that six-foot distance between yourself and others, especially waiting in line. (Although I will admit that I felt as if I were a bad behaving kindergartner for not standing on my designated space, as I was severely chastised by an overzealous employee at one business.)

A visit to a local fast food location has been reduced to standing at the door outside the business, behind a plexiglass shield, properly distanced and masked to place my food order on a to go only basis. And if I can make my transaction cashless and touches, so much the better.

So, I can hear you asking… what does all this have to do with Disneyland?

Just look at the image at the top of this column. Take in the details.

Go ahead.

Can you imagine how the precautions noted would apply in that crowd? If memory serves, that was a mid-week afternoon, sometime in late June. Not even the peak of guest numbers at the Park.

You can’t expect that Disney will allow a full capacity crowd inside the gate. There is simply no way that the company can take chances in managing the risks to guests. While we haven’t heard of any major cases of COVID-19 be traced to the parks in Florida, can you imagine the impact of publicity if there was? How many guests would be quick to blame Disney and how many lawsuits would be working their way through the courts, baseless or not, claiming that Disney was responsible for their infections. Way too many…

Disneyland has been through this before. Various outbreaks of everything from swine flu to measles and more have been blamed as being transmitted thanks to coughing and wheezing guests all gathered together at the Park. Although the likelihood was that many of those outbreaks were present in communities well before the affected people got to Anaheim. I can’t tell you how many childhood maladies have been shared among school aged children, their families and the businesses Mom and Dad work at. I know my family went through a few as well as some of the places I have worked over the years.

Yes, Disney does take this all seriously. They have no choice. Just look over their web pages and you see how they are responding: https://disneyland.disney.go.com

Important Information about the Disneyland Resort

• The Downtown Disney District, including Buena Vista Street, is open with select retail and dining locations. Ongoing updates on additional restaurant and food and beverage location openings will be forthcoming.  View Open Dining Locations.
• The Hotels of the Disneyland Resort remain closed and will reopen at a later date.
• Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park remain closed and will reopen at a later date, pending state and local government approvals.
• Upon reopening, certain parks, hotels, restaurants, attractions, experiences and other offerings will be modified or unavailable, will have limited capacity and will be subject to limited availability or even closure, and park admission and offerings are not guaranteed.  View important details.

COVID-19 Warning

We have taken enhanced health and safety measures. An inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present. View important details.

Take note of the fourth point listed. “…will have limited capacity and will be subject to limited availability or even closure…”. You won’t see a crowd anywhere even close to that one seen above in New Orleans Square. 

Fewer guests means fewer dollars incoming. Which means that Disney will have to look for ways to cover/adjust the costs/expenses related to operations. Which in turn, means fewer cast members from top to bottom, making that day at the Parks magical. Along with increased prices for everything from admissions to t-shirts to churro’s, and bottled water. Stockholders can expect no less as the Company will try to reverse the red ink of 2020.

The days of unlimited access are likely gone for the foreseeable future. Some have suggested that when Annual Passes return, that they be adjusted to offer high versus low season with a set number of days admissions, and the reservation system be adjusted to some version of it, as it had been previously in use.

Yes, Disney likes the AP Program. They like having all that income, every month. And while it has some issues, especially now, they are not likely to permanently walk away from that kind of revenue stream. Disney has always reserved the right to modify or cancel the Annual Pass program. With such a loyal customer base, they will need to find someway to respond to that demand, no matter what lies ahead.

That last point is especially important. It is that “inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19”. This kind of language isn’t something that one often hears or reads from Disney. You may see a disclaimer on a sporting event ticket or a ski resort lift pass. Something along the lines of “you voluntarily assume all risks”. In plain language, the location of the event you are attending is not accepting the responsibility for COVID-19 exposure. You are. And if you choose to enter a Disney theme park in this era, “you will voluntarily assume all risks”.

But why stop inside the Disneyland Resort? As much as this closure has affected every small business around Anaheim, changes in how those businesses operate will likely play into how and when Disneyland reopens. While Disney can and is formulating plans, Orange County and the cities around the area need to work with the small business community and get their plans ready to go. For as important as guest safety will be on property, it needs to be as great off- property. For that is where the kind of exposure that most worries medical professionals may see an increase in transmission rates.

The reality is that no one truly knows how this COVID-19 will play out. The hope is that a vaccine will help prevent against it, much as that annual flu shot is supposed to be effective during the annual cold and flu seasons. But until such a time, if Disneyland reopens soon, things will indeed be different than before.

And a day at Disneyland will come with challenges, the greatest of which may be met with patience and a bit of magic. It may sound naive, but it is a day a Disneyland. And even with COVID-19 changes, I suspect it will still be magical and worth the wait.

See you waiting in line…